The eighteenth Journey Through the Universe (hereafter “Journey”) program was held from February 28 to March 4, 2022. Journey is an annual astronomy education and outreach program started in 2005 on the Big Island of Hawai`i. During Journey week, staff members from the Maunakea Observatories and related research institutes provide presentations for local students and teachers. Similar to last year, this year the program was held entirely online as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.
Every year during “Journey Week,” many scientists and engineers from Subaru Telescope visit local classrooms. This year, about 30 presentations and career panels were provided. Ten Subaru Telescope and NAOJ TMT project staff members – Michitoshi Yoshida, Ichi Tanaka, Russell Kackley, Preethi Krishnamoorthy, Tomonori Usuda, Julien Lozi, Sebastien Vievard, Saeko S. Hayashi, Kumiko Usuda-Sato, and Junichi Noumaru – provided age-appropriate presentations; and two members – Julien Rousselle and Yuko Kakazu – participated in a career panel. Andrew Neugarten contributed as a moderator for a presentation. They reached various grades K-12.
Michitoshi Yoshida, the Director of Subaru Telescope (as of March 2022), gave a presentation to high school students entitled “Stars and the Origin of Elements.” He explained the nuclear fusion occurring inside stars using familiar chemical symbols like H (hydrogen) and C (carbon). He also mentioned that the elements that make up our body, such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, were created inside stars and scattered into space by supernova explosions. After the presentation, he received a couple of questions. For a question about how gold and silver were created, he explained the latest theory, including neutron star mergers.
Figure 1: Director Yoshida explains a nuclear fusion reaction to local high school students. (Credit: NAOJ)
Many presenters felt it challenging to communicate with students to convey the fun of outer space through online presentation in this Journey week, as compared to in-person presentations in previous years. On the other hand, the program showed new expansion; the Journey organizers found that many of the viewers accessed the presentation videos from outside of the Big Island of Hawai`i.
As of April 2022, indoor and outdoor gathering size limits have ended in the State of Hawai'i, and in-person events are gradually coming back. Subaru Telescope will plan outreach activities for the local community, while continuing to take into account the current situation.
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